CLEMSON – The Dabo Swinney Football Camp is a great way for young athletes and prospects to grow in their skills while getting their name out there. Whether someone attends the camp as a top-ranked recruit or a freshman in high school, there are opportunities for everyone.

One camp attendee who has been putting in the work is Nick Gordon, a rising junior from Cheraw, South Carolina. An all-region player, as well as the top-ranked 2027 receiver in the Pee Dee region at Cheraw High School, he has been a Dabo Camp attender since he was eight years old; clearly, his blood has run orange for a long time.

“It’s just an every-year tradition that I always make myself,” Gordon said. “My parents and I would always go to Dabo Swinney camp because it’s one of the best camps I’ve ever been a part of.”

Gordon plays both receiver and defensive back for his football team, while also playing the role of punt and kick returner. A football player since he was eight, he has worked and played nearly every position, and his skills from both sides of the ball all contribute.

Not only does he have a massive role for the football team, but he also makes headlines for his school’s basketball team. As a point guard/shooting guard for the Cheraw Braves, Gordon played in fifteen games last season and helped them move the ball and play hard, despite an early playoff exit.

“I’m really fast, I like being able to make the defender flat-footed,” Gordon said when asked why playing receiver was his favorite. “And get around them and run and be able to catch the ball deep down the field.”

Throughout his academics and athletics, his biggest supporters are his parents and uncle, who have been “going all out” to support his training and attendance at camps, helping him become the best he can be.

His dream school is none other than Clemson. His research into the Tigers’ receivers and how they came out of playing there, the skills they gained, and their roots coming into college have all been a part of his drive towards attending the school. A great way to get involved with his dream school is through Dabo’s camp, and he is already on the right track.

“I learned a lot that I could take back and work on, and getting to train with this coaching group really helped,” Gordon said. “Being around the amazing facilities and the whole experience with the energy of the staff and the beauty of the campus really motivated me. The blessing is unreal.”

His biggest wish following Dabo camp is to receive the chance to come back to Clemson on a tour or visit, which would help fire him up even more and allow him to experience it all again. 

One of the biggest things that came out of camp for Gordon was his first collegiate offer from Howard University, receiving a call from wide receiver coach Artavis Scott, who starred at Clemson himself. Following that huge milestone, Gordon now heads to work out at more camps across the East Coast this summer, including schools like NC State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest. 

Photo courtesy of Nick Gordon on X (formerly known as Twitter) @N1ckGordon